A Midsummer Night’s Yume - Part 1

It was supposed to be a normal trip. After losing a close family member and getting laid off, I decided I wanted to take the time to finally travel and see the places I’ve always wanted to. First on that list was Japan. I’d always heard it was beautiful, and being a bit of a nerd I’ve always had the desire to go, but never had the time. So, I bought a plane ticket, started planning a basic itinerary, and got to packing. I was a bit nervous to go, having never been to Japan, but I also hate flying, so the idea of being on a plane for upwards of 10 hours didn’t exactly thrill me. I figured I’d probably just sleep through most of the flight, but my anxiety kept me up for almost of it. After the torturous plane ride and what somehow felt like an even worse bus ride, I finally reached the hotel. I checked in at the front desk, got my room key, and finally made it to my room. I got settled in and unpacked what little I brought, which was my suitcase with clothes, a toothbrush, and about ¥100,000 in cash. After a short walk to the nearest 7-11 and a surprisingly good ham & cheese sandwich, I managed to fall asleep. I wasn’t sure if it was from the excitement of finally being in Japan or the severe exhaustion, but I had a weird dream. I was in some sort of black void, and all I could see around me was a little cat. It just stared back at me, and I felt a weird uncanny feeling deep inside. After a few hours, I woke up feeling oddly well-rested. The next morning, I got ready, had another ham & cheese sandwich from 7-11, and set off to my first destination of the day. The public transportation system in Japan really is amazing. My Maps app still worked, so I was able to use that to navigate around the city. Their subway system is second to none, and more than anything I just felt jealous that my own city couldn’t have anything as efficient as it. So, with minimal difficulty, I arrived at my first stop: an old shrine that sits just outside the main city. The place was crawling with tourists, but I expected as much. It really is incredible that these shrines that are thousands of years old still stand. I saw a few locals bowing before entering the torii gate and, not wanting to seem like an ignorant tourist, I did the same. The shrine itself was beautiful. You could really feel the history and culture from just looking around. I almost felt bad that all these tourists, myself included, were treating it like a photo op and not appreciating it for what it is. Regardless, I had to make sure I saw everything. I saw there was a hiking trail that was lined entirely with torii gates, so of course I had to do it. I started walking along the trail, completely awestruck by the seemingly thousands of torii gates that framed the trail. As I made my way through, I felt something inside of me. It was a strange feeling, like something was tugging at me, urging me towards something. Then, in the corner of my eye, I saw something that sent a strange chill up my spine; I saw the cat from my dream. I was stunned for a moment, feeling a sort of dejavú that I hadn’t felt before. The cat turned to me, then darted off. I got that strange feeling again, and felt like I just had to follow it, so I did. I chased after the cat, watching it nimbly weave through the trees. Eventually I lost sight of it, and I found myself completely alone on the side of this hill. I tried to look back, but saw nothing. I couldn’t see the trail, tourists, or even a sign pointing to the trail; I was completely alone. At least, that’s what I thought. I heard rustling in the trees, then a voice. A soft voice, almost like a whisper in my ear that I could somehow understand. “Well, you definitely seem lost…”, said the voice, soft and low but with a playful mischief behind it. It called out to me again and said, “The trees have seen many people come and go, but you… there’s something strange about you. Just up ahead is a small shrine. Go there.” I felt a cold sweat, but figured that was my best bet at finding the way back. I stumbled forward, unsure of what I would find. Just as the voice said, I found what seemed to be a hidden shrine at the base of the hill, surrounded by trees. It was completely deserted. I didn’t think anyone even knew about it, but it seemed well maintained. There was a small pond at the center, and a fountain off to the side. It felt eerily quiet, but also tranquil. The wind blew, and my head turned with it. As I looked into a small room, with a partially open sliding door, I noticed there was something inside. I slowly approached, my feet feeling as heavy as lead. I slowly slid the door open, preparing for the worst possible outcome, like a demon or a ghost, but I saw something else. Something I never thought I’d see. I saw a girl sleeping, but something was off about her. She had a thin tail curled around her, and what seemed like cat ears on her head. As I stared in total confusion and shock, her eyelids began to slowly flutter open.